http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/ Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:57:29 -0800 Yahoo! http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/rocksbackpages/13107/the-rocks-backpages-flashback-motowns-first-golden-decade/ With Motown turning 50 this year--and legendary founder Berry Gordy, Jr., turning 80 next month--RBP offers three excerpts from a fascinating 1970 report on the company (complete with mob rumors) by Beatles biographer Philip Norman. Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:57:28 -0800 Philip Norman (1970) http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/rocksbackpages/13099/the-rocks-backpages-flashback-taking-the-rap-for-the-birth-of-hip-hop/ With the Sugar Hill Gang's "Rappers' Delight" celebrating its 30th birthday this year, RBP presents this Don Snowden report from rap's front line, filed for the LA Times in the summer of 1981. Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:03:15 -0800 Don Snowden (1981) http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/rocksbackpages/13079/the-clasha-21-gun-salute/ With Marcus Gray's exhaustive and authoritative new book on London Calling in all good bookstores now, Alex Ogg offers a selection of tracks directly inspired by--or referencing--The Clash and Joe Strummer. Mon, 16 Nov 2009 02:46:25 -0800 Alex Ogg http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/rocksbackpages/13060/the-rocks-backpages-flashback-no-fear-of-flying-aerosmith/ With all the cafuffle over the mooted split 'twixt Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, we thought it an opportune moment to revisit Aerosmith in all their mid-'70s pomp and finery. Thu, 12 Nov 2009 21:32:44 -0800 Wayne Robins (1975) http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/rocksbackpages/13023/the-rocks-backpages-flashback-just-how-good-were-the-strokes/ Their frontman Julian Casablancas has just released a well-received solo album, but were--are?--the Strokes really much cop? Here's Ira Robbins' astute contemporary response to the hype surrounding the band when their debut album appeared in 2001. Sun, 08 Nov 2009 00:33:50 -0800 Ira Robbins http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/rocksbackpages/13013/the-rocks-backpages-flashback-the-clash-calling/ It is 30 long years since The Clash released their ground-breaking, shapeshifting double album London Calling. In this terrific Melody Maker interview with Joe Strummer, Chris Bohn gets the lowdown on "Clampdown" and many of the album's other tracks. Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:24:18 -0800 Chris Bohn (1979) http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/rocksbackpages/12993/the-rocks-backpages-flashback-captain-beefheart-is-alive-in-hollywood/ Almost 40 years ago, Don Van Vliet--aka Captain Beefheart--released one of the most extraordinary rock albums ever made. Swinging London legend (Barry) Miles met the Captain on the eve of Trout Mask Replica's release. Mon, 02 Nov 2009 23:31:13 -0800 Miles (1969) http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/rocksbackpages/12961/the-rocks-backpages-flashback-raps-black-planet/ Almost 20 years have shot by since Q's Mark Cooper traveled to America to report on the shock waves caused by Public Enemy and NWA. Seems an apt time to salute these avatars of hip hop, so here's an excerpt... Sat, 24 Oct 2009 19:35:00 -0800 Mark Cooper (1990) http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/rocksbackpages/12959/the-rocks-backpages-flashback-david-bowie-has-left-the-theatre/ David Bowie's makeover from the apocalyptic androgyne of 1974's Diamond Dogs to the emaciated "plastic soul" man of 1975's Young Americans was one of the more startling self-reinventions in the history of rock.NME's Mick Farren was there to see the leopard change his spots. Fri, 23 Oct 2009 19:03:01 -0800 Mick Farren (1974) http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/rocksbackpages/12933/the-rocks-backpages-flashback-remembering-brendan-mullen-and-the-la-punk-scene/ The shocking and wholly unexpected death of Brendan Mullen after a massive stroke at the age of 58 prompted me to pull out this Village Voice review of We Got the Neutron Bomb, the great 2001 oral history of L.A.'s punk scene that he co-authored with Marc Spitz. Mullen's club the Masque--celebrated in a subsequent photographic collection published in 2007--was a key breeding ground for bands such as X and the Weirdos. The fiery Scotsman and adoptive Angeleno was a West Coast legend and will be deeply missed. Sat, 17 Oct 2009 00:12:43 -0800 Barney Hoskyns